Antiquing
an·ti·quing | (ˌ)an-ˈtē-kiŋ
verb
The process of darkening the recessed areas of gold or silver jewelry, in order to enhance the visibility of the engraving, thus giving the piece an aged, or
Antiquing involves making an object appear to be older than it is but applying certain processes that darken recesses, highlight engravings, and otherwise give it an antique look that cannot be captured perfectly in a new piece. This process creates pieces that have a historical look but that are not considered antiques and therefore do not carry the same collectible or resellable value as those older pieces. They do, however, take advantage of modern manufacturing and engraving techniques to craft some truly exquisite pieces. This process is primarily used on gold and silver jewelry, while platinum cannot be antiqued for a number of reasons.